John Bidlake
Rev. Dr. John Bidlake (1755-1814) was an English poet, cleric, artist, and educator. Life Bidlake was born in Plymouth, the son of a jeweler,Benjamin Robert Haydon, Historical Painter by Clarke Olney, Pub U of Georgia Press 1952 Page 6 At 18, as a servitor, he entered Christ Church, Oxford, where he earned a B.A. in 1778, an M.A. and Doctor of Divinity in 1808.Rev. John Bidlake (1755-1814), English Poetry, 1579-1830, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. Web, Apr. 29, 2016. From the last decade of the 18th century until his death Bidlake was the Headmaster of Plymouth Grammar School, where he taught both Samuel ProutThe works of John Ruskin, Volume 12 By John Ruskin, Sir Edward Tyas Cook, Alexander Dundas Ogilvy Wedderburn Page 308 and Benjamin Haydon.Lockett, Richard. Samuel Prout (1783-1852). Batsford Book. ISBN 0-7134-3491-0 (1985) Page 23 Among his other protégés were artist Charles Lock Eastlake, Philip Hutchins Rogers,A Dictionary of Artists of the English School by Samuel Redgrave, Pub. George Bell London 1878; page 365 a marine and landscape artist who later exhibited at the Royal Academy; and Nathaniel Howard, a charity boy who became "an elegant classical scholar, ... a translator of Dante into blank verse,Dante's fame abroad, 1350-1850: the influence of Dante on poets and scholars By Werner Paul Friederich (Rome 1950) page 280" and a Persian scholar of note. Bidlake has been described as "a man of strict religious principles, but not intolerant." He was rather different from the average schoolmaster of the period. As well he was "a little deformed man," whose "back was bent from fever". Bidlake was curate of Plymouth's Stonehouse Chapel, now St George's Church, from 1785 to 1812. He also held the position of Common Chaplain to the Prince of Wales (later George III) and the Duke of Clarence (later William IV). In 1811 Bidlake gave the Bampton Lecture delivered at St Mary's College, Oxford. Unfortunately, during this lecture he suffered a stroke as a result of which he lost his eyesight. The Lecture was later to be published as a book in an effort to raise funds for his welfare; :The Rev. Dr. Bidlake, appointed to read the Bampton Lecture, during the delivery of the third discourse was seized with an afliction of the head, which terminated in blindness. He is without any preferment, and has been obliged to give up the Curacy of Stonehouse, Devon, from which the principal part of his income was derived. It has been proposed to print a new edition of his Bampton Lectures, and the book will be ready for delivery in the course of a few months. In the mean time Dr. Bidlake's health has been much impaired; and it has pleased God to fill up the measure of his distress by an attack of Paralysis, which his recently seized him. Under these circumstances his demand for immediate assistance and support is become more urgent; and those persons who have expressed an intention of subscribing to the Work, and who have not yet paid their Subscription, are requested, if they think proper, to advance the same., for the benevolent purpose abovementioned. The attention of others is solicited to this distressful case; and those who feel disposed to assist a Clergyman who is the author of many useful Publications, and who is known to his immediate neighbours by a conscientious discharge of his Parochial duties, are requested to make their Donations to Messrs. Rivington, booksellers, St. Paul's Church-yard; Mr. Rees, bookseller, Pall-mall; or to Mr. Hatchard, bookseller, Piccadilly, it is proposed, in the first place, to relieve the immediate pressure occasioned by this uncommon calamity; and then to apply the remainder of the money subscribed, to the purchase of an annuity, to insure to Dr. Bidlake a comfortable maintenance for the rest of his life. A numerous and respectable List of Subscribers may be seen at either of the 'above places' If any Gentleman wishes to obtain farther information of this case, or of the character of Dr. Bidlake, he is referred to Dr. Cole, the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford.The Gentleman's magazine, Volume 83, Part 1; Page 560 (1813) published by F. Jefferies Writing Bidlake's works were very numerous, both in divinity and poetry. He published separately at least seven sermons, in addition to three volumes of collected discourses on various subjects (1795, 1799, and 1808). His earliest poem was an anonymous 'Elegy written on the author's revisiting the place of his former residence' (1788). It was followed by 'The Sea' (1796), 'The Country Parson' (1797), 'Summer's Eve' (1800), 'Virginia or the Fall of the Decemvirs, a tragedy' (1800), 'Youth' (1802), and 'The Year' (1813). Three volumes of his poetical works were issued in 1794, 1804, and 1814 respectively. In 1799 he composed a moral tale entitled 'Eugenio, or the Precepts of Prudentius,' and in 1808 he issued an 'Introduction to the Study of Geography.' His Bampton lectures were published in 1811 under the title, The Truth And Consistency Of Divine Revelation: With aome remarks on the contrary extremes of infidelity and enthusiasm: In eight discourses. He also published three issues of a periodical called The Selector at Plymouth in 1809. Bidlake was a man of varied talents and considerable acquirements, but his poetry was imitative, and the interest of his theological works was ephemeral. Publications Poetry *''Elegy Written on the Author's Revisiting the Place of His Former Residence''. B. Law / R. Faulder / W. Lowndes / J. Deighton, 1788. **also published as Elegy, Supposed to be Written on Revisiting the Place of a Former Residence. Plymouth, UK: M. & B. Haydon, 1790. *''Poems''. Plymouth, UK: B. Haydon, 1794. *''The Sea: A poem, in two books''. London: T. Chapman, 1796. *''The Country Parson: A poem''. London: T. Cadell jr. & W. Davies, 1797. *''The Summer's Eve: A poem''. London: T. Bensley, for Murray & Highly, & R. Bliss, Oxford, 1800. *''Youth, a poem''. London: Murray & Highley, 1802. *''Poetical Works''. London: J. Murray & J. Harding, 1804. *''The Year: A poem. London: R. Rees / Plymouth, UK: W. Curtis / Oxford, UK: J. Parker, 1813. Play *''Virginia; or, The fall of the Decemvirs: A tragedy. London: T. Bensley, for Murray & Highly, & R. Bliss, Oxford, 1800. Non-fiction *''Sunday Schools Recommended: A sermon, preached at the chapel in Stonehouse.'' Plymouth, UK: M. Haydon, 1786. *''Slave-trade: A sermon''. Plymouth, UK: M. Haydon & Son, et al, 1789. *''A Sermon, Preached before the Society of Free and Accepted Masons''. Plymouth, UK: Haydon, 1790. *''Sermons, on various subjects''London: T. Chapman, 1795. *''A Sermon Preached at Saint Andrew's Church, Plymouth: Before the gentlemen educated at the Plymouth Grammar School''. Plymouth, UK: B. Haydon, 1802. *''The Truth And Consistency Of Divine Revelation: With aome remarks on the contrary extremes of infidelity and enthusiasm: In eight discourses. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, for Longman, et all, 1811; London: Richard Rees, 1813. Juvenile *''Eugenio; or, The precepts of Prudentius: A moral tale. London: T. Chapman, 1799. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:John Bidlake, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Apr. 29, 2016. See also *List of British poets References External links ;Poems *Rev. John Bidlake (1755-1814) info & 5 poems at English Poetry, 1579-1830 ;About * "Bidlake, John" Category:English poets Category:1755 births Category:1814 deaths Category:English male poets Category:18th-century poets Category:19th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets Category:Blind poets Category:Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford